Photo Credit: Matt Manor/Getty Images
DELAWARE, Ont. — It took almost a year, but Alex Labbe found his way back to Victory Lane.
The 24-year-old from St. Albert, Quebec, passed Alex Tagliani with 36 laps to go en route to the win in the Fast Eddie/CHOKO 250 presented by Havoline Saturday night in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series return to Delaware Speedway.
It was the second career win for Labbe, who won at Autodrome Chaudiere in his home province on June 24.
Labbe’s No. 32 Can-Am/Kappa/Cyclops Gear/Lous BBQ Ford crossed the finish line 1.924 seconds ahead of Tagliani. DJ Kennington, who won three of the previous five series’ races at the half-mile, finished third, followed by L.P. Dumoulin and Kevin Lacroix who had dominated the race early on.
Andrew Ranger, who won the E3 Spark Plugs Pole Award earlier in the day, finished sixth, followed by JF Dumoulin, Jason White, rookie Adam Martin and Jason Hathaway.
Defending series champion Cayden Lapcevich came home 12th after being involved in an accident. It marked his first finish outside the top three in eight oval races dating back to 2015.
Lacroix started second and led a race-high 126 laps. But he ceded the lead to Tagliani on Lap 190, and Labbe went to the point 24 laps later.
Lacroix maintained a three-point lead on Labbe in the championship standings, while Ranger is five point points back. LP Dumoulin and JF Dumoulin are fourth and fifth, respectively, with the latter holding a one-point edge on Lapcevich.
The Fast Eddie/CHOKO 250 presented by Havoline will air on TSN on Saturday, June 10 at 3:30 p.m., and on RDS on Sunday, June 25, at 4:30 p.m.
The NASCAR Pinty’s Series returns to action back at Chaudiere on Saturday, June 17, for the CRS Express 300.
